History Archives - Barnsley Civic Trust

Barnsley Civic Trust talks: Spring 2025

On Thursday 1st May in Barnsley Town Hall Council Chamber at 6.30pm, we are pleased to welcome Fred Thompson to give an illustrated presentation on the Fascinating History of Monk Bretton Priory which was so influential in the early days of Barnsley. We are hoping to follow this up with a guided tour of the Priory later in the year.

The presentation will be preceded at 6.00pm with the BCT AGM 2025. This will be kept as short as possible. We hope as many Members as possible will attend but it will be open to anyone prior to the talk.

On Thursday 22nd of May in the Town Hall Council Chamber, at 6.30pm, Peter Cox will give an illustrated presentation on The Hull and Barnsley Railway formed in 1880 and one of the last large scale railway companies.

On Thursday 5th June but in the Miners Hall in Victoria Road, Barnsley, at 6.30pm. Dr Joe Stanley will give a presentation entitled ‘Five Shillings Per Day’: The 1819 Yorkshire Miners’ Strike and its significance to the formation of Mining Unions. This talk is made in the year of the 150th anniversary of the NUM office building in Victoria Road designed by Barnsley architects Wade and Turner.

Barnsley Civic Trust presentations are arranged in partnership with Barnsley MBC Archives and Local Studies. All are welcome to attend and booking is not necessary.

‘Women artists in Barnsley’: Thursday 20th February

A great presentation by a quartet of speakers from Art on Your Doorstep, appreciated by everyone present, and there were lots of us! Great research with really interesting information to share with us.
Thank you, Art on Your Doorstep

The history of ‘Women artists in Barnsley, their inspiration and influences, an illustrated talk by Hugh Polehampton and colleagues from Barnsley ‘Art on Your Doorstep’.

Thursday 20th February at 6.30pm in the Council Chamber at Barnsley Town Hall. All welcome.

‘The Lancasters, a Barnsley Dynasty’: Thursday 23 January

James Steverson, Barnsley Archives’ Project Archivist, gave an illustrated talk ‘Lancaster and Sons: A Barnsley Dynasty‘, was given by James Stevenson. Full of interesting information, it was much appreciated by those who attended.

This is the fascinating story of one of Barnsley’s most interesting and influential families, the Lancasters, who rose to become prominent auctioneers, valuers and estate agents for more than four generations.

This talk was first hosted by the Friends of Barnsley Archives in September but was rerun as an evening event due to popular demand. Ans some people came to hear it a second time!

Held in association with Barnsley Archives and Local Studies, here’s an image taken by Paul Stebbing of the event.

Blue Plaque: Hungarian refugees welcomed in Barnsley in 1956

In 1956 and 1957, Barnsley welcomed 200 Hungarian refugees following the crushed Hungarian revolution; they found work in the coal industry. We are commemorating this with a blue plaque.

The Hungarian Consul General Dr L Risko-Nagy unveiled the blue plaque at the Miners’ Hall in Victoria Road on Wednesday 23^rd October at 2.00pm.

It was another great opportunity to visit the stunning Miners’ Hall!

Dr Andrew Zsigmond, one of the refugees, told us his story and how he was welcomed in Barnsley.

The Mayor of Barnsley John Clarke and the Area Chairman of the NUM, Chris Skidmore, welcomed our guests.

It was great to welcome some of the original 1956 refugees and their relatives to the event.

A Lifetime in Cinema: a talk by Rob Younger of the Parkway Cinema

‘A Lifetime in Cinema; from Barnsley to Malta and back’, a talk by Rob Younger, proprietor of the Parkway Cinema: Thursday 21st November, 6.30pm in the Council Chamber in Barnsley Town Hall.

Rob’s talk includes the story of the Parkway Cinema and its site on Eldon Street.

The site has been occupied by cinemas, theatres and other entertainment usage for over 150 years. This has been commemorated by a Blue Plaque.

Fascinating Stories of Eldon Street

The recently completed Eldon Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) has worked with the local community to uncover and celebrate the stories and often overlooked heritage of one of Barnsley’s most important historic high streets.

The restoration of the historic fabric of Eldon Street has also been part of the HAZ; it has worked with local businesses and property owners to fund conservation repairs to key historic buildings on the west side of Eldon Street.

Dr Tegwen Roberts gave an illustrated presentation on the ‘Fascinating Stories of Eldon Street, unearthed in the High Street Heritage Action Zone, on Thursday 10 October in the Council Chamber of Barnsley Town Hall.

Tegwen’s well-attended talk was really appreciated by those present: the council chamber was buzzing! Quite a number of us had participated in the HAZ and it was great to hear about its overall impact and the stories it had revealed.

The Eldon Street Heritage Action Zone was a four year joint project between Barnsley Council and Historic England, completed in 2024. Dr Tegwen Roberts was the Eldon Street HSHAZ Project Leader. Barnsley Civic Trust contributed to aspects of the Eldon Street Heritage Action Zone. Barnsley Civic Trust talks are arranged in partnership with the Barnsley Archives and Local Studies..

Historic Buildings in Barnsley Town Centre: Friday 13th September Tour

Barnsley Civic Trust had a guided walk around Barnsley Town Centre on Friday 13th September. It told the history of the Town through some of the historic and architecturally interesting buildings which can be seen today.

Barnsley Civic Trust tour of town centre outside the former Ann Porter and Sons Department Store

The tour included a visit to the historic Miners Hall in Barnsley …

Barnsley Civic Trust folk on the way to the NUM building and Miners Hall

Once there, Paul Darlow introduced us to the many historic NUM colliery banners on display and showed us many artefacts from mining history.

The tour was open to members but some non-members came along too. If there is the demand, there will be more tours to come.
Email contact@barnsleycivictrust.org.uk to express your interest.

Barnsley Civic Trust is also willing to conduct tours of the historic sites and buildings in Barnsley town centre for groups of around 10-20 people.
Just get in touch.

George Orwell’s stay in Barnsley: Blue Plaque and Talk

One of the most celebrated writers of the 20th century, George Orwell stayed in Barnsley in 1936. He wanted to see for himself the living conditions of working class people for his book ‘The Road To Wigan Pier’. He stayed at a house in Agnes Terrace, still there today. A Blue Plaque commemorating George Orwell’s stay in Barnsley was unveiled on Friday 26 April.

The main event to mark the occasion was a talk by Edana Guest about George Orwell’s time in Barnsley, his experiences and what he found out. It was in the Miners’ Hall, Victoria Road, next door to the NUM building.

Edana has written an article about George Orwell’s stay in Barnsley in the excellent ‘Memories of Barnsley’.

The unveiling of the Blue Plaque then took place as a small event in Day Street at the end of Agnes Terrace.

Edana Guest, Quintin Kopp, Linda Burgess and Milly Johnson at the unveiling.

This event was held in partnership with Barnsley Archives & Local Studies. We are pleased that the Chair of the Orwell Society, Quentin Kopp, was present and made some interesting comments. Richard Blair, George Orwell’s son and Patron of the Society was unfortunately not able to be there.

Our thanks to Edana Guest for all she has done to arrange this event.

The Rise and Fall of the Linen Industry in Barnsley’, the 2024 Bramah Lecture, given by Bill Gaunt.

Linen industry weavers’ cottages. Thanks to the Tasker Trust for the image.

In the period either side of 1800, Barnsley was the leading linen producer in England. This is the fascinating story of the linen industry in Barnsley and will cover the physical and cultural heritage of that bygone prosperity.

The 2024 Bramah Lecture is on Monday 8th April in the Learning Lab at Barnsley Town Hall, starting at 6.30pm. Use Barnsley Town Hall’s ‘Experience Barnsley’ entrance from Barnsley Pals Centenary Square. All welcome.

On this occasion there is a limit on numbers able to get in the room, so it’s essential to let us know if you intend to come. We can’t let people in beyond the capacity of the room!
Email allenparks22@hotmail.com to reserve a place.

The Bramah Lecture is an annual lecture commemorating the inventor, Joseph Bramah; it has taken place in Barnsley since 1999, sponsored by Barnsley Council. Barnsley Archives and Local Studies, Barnsley Civic Trust and South Yorkshire Industrial History Society are jointly organising this year’s lecture.